Respond: Partnering for growth There are two vital and complementary elements to this process. They are described by the words formation and information. Information This requires you, as a mentor, to teach something to the couple/individual. This teaching happens in...

Reflect: Checking assumptions Assumptions about people’s situation, character or challenges can cause real harm if not true. When we listen to people speak of their own experiences, our default is often to filter them through our own experiences, self-knowledge and...

Part 4 covers a simple method to use to engage with a couple/individual developmentally. The primary goal is always to help the couple restore loving connection with each other. It is NOT the mentor’s responsibility to solve the couple’s problems for them, but to be...

This blog series comes as a result of a needs analysis conversation I had towards the beginning of the year with a local church leader. During this conversation the theme of the importance of healthy marriages was raised. This is a focal area for the leadership of...

Reflective listening Reflective listening is a tool used to promote connection between people. It’s presupposition is that two people in relationship would so value the connection they have with each other that they would actively seek to strengthen it. The corollary...

Negotiating change / Communicating needs There are three key steps to negotiating change or communicating needs with a partner. These two concepts are distinct, yet linked closely enough that the three steps provide a sufficient basis for each. These steps are also...